1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector connection structure for connecting a pair of male and female connectors, and more particularly, to a connection structure capable of preventing a leak between adjacent terminals.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, there is proposed a connector connection structure (not prior art) for connecting a first connector 104 and a second connector 108. The first connector 104 comprises a plurality of terminal accommodating portions 103 each having a terminal accommodating chamber 101 in which a female terminal 102 is accommodated. The terminal accommodating portions 103 are disposed at a predetermined distance from each other. The second connector 108 having a plurality of terminal accommodating portions 107 each having a terminal accommodating chamber 106 in which a male terminal 105 is accommodated. The male terminal 105 is brought into contact with the female terminal 102.
According to the connecting structure having such a structure, if tabs 105a of the male terminals 105 come into contact with terminal contacts 102a of the female terminals 102, the male terminals 105 and the female terminals 102 are brought into electrical conduction.
According to this connecting structure of this structure, however, as shown in FIG. 2, if a drop of water or the like enters into the terminal accommodating chamber 101 from the connected side between the first connector 104 and the second connector 108, there is an adverse possibility that the drop of water flows as shown with a dotted line in FIG. 2, and a leak is generated between the adjacent female terminals 102 (male terminals 105).
For example, in the field of automobile, a leak is prone to be generated between adjacent terminals of a connector due to increasing tendencies of voltage of circuit.
The present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problem, and it is an object of the invention to provide a reliable connecting structure capable of preventing a leak between adjacent terminals.
A first aspect of the present invention provides a connector connecting structure, comprising:
a first connector having a plurality of first terminal accommodating portions which are disposed at a predetermined distance from each other and which have terminal accommodating chambers accommodating first terminals; and
a second connector mated with the first connector, having a plurality of second terminal accommodating portions having terminal accommodating chambers accommodating second terminals which are inserted into the terminal accommodating chambers of the first terminal accommodating portions and come into contact with the first terminals,
wherein the second terminal accommodating portion has a leak preventing piece for preventing a leak between the adjacent terminals, the leak preventing piece projecting from a connecting side tip end surface of each of the second terminal accommodating portion, and the leak preventing piece inserted into a space between the adjacent first terminal accommodating portions.
According to the first aspect, the leak preventing piece for preventing a leak between the adjacent terminals is formed such as to project from a connecting side tip end surface of each of the second terminal accommodating portion, and the leak preventing piece is inserted into a space between the adjacent first terminal accommodating portions. Therefore, a distance (vertical plane distance, hereinafter) through which a drop of water flows along inner and outer surfaces of the terminal accommodating portion and reaches the adjacent terminal contacts is sufficiently secured, and the leak is prevented from being generated between the first and second terminals.
A second aspect of the present invention provides a connector connecting structure according to claim 1, wherein a length of the leak preventing piece is longer than a length of a tab of the second terminal projecting from the connecting side tip end surface of the second terminal accommodating portion.
According to the second aspect, since the length of the leak preventing piece is longer than the length of a tab of the mating terminal, when the first and second connectors are connected to each other, the leak preventing piece is guided by the space before the tab is guided by the first terminal accommodating portion, the connectors are connected to each other easily.